Bed couch



J. MARTIN BED COUCH Aug. 25, 1936.

Filed Dec. 27, 1952 INVENTOR. 4/

()JfP/v MW? 77/v. BY Mn 0%, A TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BED COUCH Application December 27, 1932, Serial No. 648,905

Claims.

This invention relates to bed couches in general and more especially to bed couches which can be converted from a single couch member to a double couch member.

Among the objects of the present invention, it is aimed to provide an improved combination single and double bed couch having two bed sections, one adapted to be collapsed and the other provided with a chamber adapted to be moved and to enclose the collapsed bed section.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved latch for anchoring the chambered bed section in single bed formation and which latch is simple in construction, embraces a minimum number of parts and can be manufactured at low cost.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved lifting mechanism which is simple in construction, simple to operate and which can be manufactured at low cost.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved stabilizing mechanism which will cooperate with any simple lifting mechanism and make it possible to use a comparatively low priced lifting mechanism and yet maintain the frame portion to be raised steady against undue vibration or rattling both when such frame is raised or is lowered or While being moved into or out of raised position.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawinginwhich Figure 1 is an end elevation of a bed couch made according to the present invention in double bed formation;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the same bed couch in single bed formation;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the bed couch in single bed formation drawn on the same scale as Fig. 1;

with rollers, it resting on the legs I ,and 2 while the bed section B is preferably supported on rollers or casters, such as the casters 3 and 4.

The bed section A is provided with a lower frame 5 having the end bars 6 to which end bars, the legs I and 2 are secured. The end bars of the frame 5 are connected to one another by the longitudinal side bars I. Above the frame 5, there is disposed the frame 8 which consists essentially of the end bars 9 and the longitudinal side bars I0. On the frame 8, there is preferably secured the upholstered structure II or a suitable spring mattress or the like.

The frame 8 is connected to the frame 5 by the lifting mechanism now to be described. The

lifting mechanisms are identical with, one another, one being provided at each end of the bed section A. Each lifting mechanism consists essentially of two levers I2 and I3 pivotally connected to one another at their middle and each lever having one end pivotally connected to one of the frames 5, 8 and the other endprovided With a pin travelling in a slot in one of the frames 5, 8. As an instance, the lever I2 has its lower end pivotally connected as at I4 to the inner side of the end bar 6 adjacent to the leg I and has its upper end extending along they inner side of the end bar' 9 and provided with a pin I5 travelling in the slot I6 extending horizontally and disposed above the leg 2. The lever I3 on the other hand is pivotally connected as at I! to the inner face of the end bar 9 above the leg I, and the other end of the lever I3 extends to the inner side of the end bar 6 and is provided with a pin I8. which travels in the slot' I 9 extending horizontally and disposed adjacent to the leg 2. 7 v

These levers I2 and I3 are adapted tobe operated by the lifting arm which is preferably connected to the outer sideof. the levers I2 and I3 by the tie rod 2| which pivotallly connects the levers I2 and I3 to one another. The arm 20 also extends tothe outer face of the bar 6 being provided with a pin 22 which travels'in the slot 23 extending horizontally between the lower ends of the levers I2 and I3. The upper end of the arm 20 is preferably bent as shown at 24 and has pivotally connected thereto a handle 25 'composed of a loop of leather or the like.

Lifting mechanisms such as the aforesaid just described are comparatively inexpensive to man-' ufacture consisting of a minimum number of parts, each really consisting of three main parts to wit, the two levers I2 and I3 and the arm 20.

Quote Wear and tear, it has, however, been found that in time difiiculty will be encountered in operating the same unless guiding means or the like are provided. The present invention effectively overcomes the difficulty heretofore so experienced by fixing the arms 26 at both ends of the section A to the tie rod 2! so that the actuation of one arm 20 will simultaneously actuate the other arm 20 at the other end of the bed, see Fig. 6.

In the next place, the longitudinal side bars l0 and 1 at least along one side of the bed section A are connected to one another by the stabilizing mechanism consisting of the lever 26 and link 21. The lever 26 has its lower end pivotally connected to the bar I at 28 and is provided with a slot 29 at its upper end to receive the pin 3|] formed on the bar ID. Intermediate the pins 28 and 30, the link'2l is pivotally connected to the lever 26 at 3!. The upper end of the link 21 is pivotally connected to the bar H! by the pin 32.

By means of the aforesaid stabilizing mechanism and tie rod, both ends of the frame 8 will be effectively raised at the same time, each aiding and assisting the other and furthermore vibration of the upper frame 8 relative to the lower frame 5 at least in a lateral direction is effectively prevented.

By means of the aforesaid lifting mechanism, and stabilizing mechanism, the upper frame may furthermore in depressed position be brought into close proximity with the lower frame to consume a minimum amount of space, so that, see Fig. 2, although upholstery is fixed to the frame 8, there will still be sufficient space provided above the upholstered portion I I to accommodate bed clothes or the like when the section A is housed inside of the section B.

The section B consists essentially of a three sided structure embracing the front wall 33 and the end walls 34 and 35. The rollers 3 and 4 at each end of the section B are connected to an angle iron 36, one being secured to the inner edge of each end wall 34 and 35, see Fig. 3.

The upper ends of the walls 33, 34 and 35 have secured thereto the upholstered portion 31. The angle iron 36 and the rollers 3 and 4 secured thereto travel outside of the legs 1 and 2 of the bed section A. However, the end bars 6 of the bed section A are provided at one end with the downwardly extending fingers 38 to engage'the upwardly extending fingers 39 at the rear ends of the angle irons 36, see Fig. 1.

By means of these fingers 38 and 39, the outermost position of the bed section B is determined and on the other hand when. it is desired to separate the two bed sections when in such outermost position, it is only necessary to raise the bed section A slightly to permit the fingers 38 to clear the fingers 39 and then draw the bed section B clear of the same.

In order to lock the bed section B to the bed section A when in single bed formation, that is when the bed section A is housed within the bed section B, the latch now to be described is provided. This latch consists essentially, see Figs. 4 and 5, of a lever 40 pivotally connected to the projection 41 formed on the lower end of the front wall 33 of the bed section B and extending rearwardly therefrom. The projection 4| has at its rear end a downwardly extending lip 42 to which the lever 40 is pivotally connected by the pin 43. The short arm 44 of the lever 49 is thus automatically maintained in its raised position against the projection 4| due to gravity, that is due to the fact that the long arm 45 is heavier than the short arm 44. The short arm 44 has an inclined nose 46, see Fig. 2 which facilitates the easy passage of the bar 1 over the short arm 44 when the section B is moved into single bed formation. The short arm 44, it will be obvious, engages the rear edges of the bar 1 in looking position, see Fig. 2.

It will also appear that without the use of springs or the like, the lever 40 will automatically snap into locking position when the bed section B is moved into single bed formation and that on the other hand the latch can with facility be actuated to release the bed section B by a slight pressure on the handle portion 47 of the long arm 45, it not being necessary to overcome any spring pressure or the like when so operating this lever 49.

It is obvious that various changes and modifi cations may be made to the details of construction without departing'from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bed section having a lower frame, an upper frame, a lifting mechanism consisting of a pair of crossed levers at each of the ends of said bed section, said crossed levers being composed of flat stock with their faces moving in a vertical direction and parallel with the ends of said bed section, a tie rod extending from one pair of crossed levers to the other to pivotally mount the individual levers of each pair relative to one another, one of the levers of each pair'being pivotally connected to the lower frame and slot and pin connected to the upper frame and the other lever of each pair being pivotally connected to ie upper frame and slot and pin connected to the lower frame, and a lifting arm at each end of said bed section fixed to said tie rod and slot and pin connected to said lower frame; and a stabilizing device consisting of an elongated lever pivotally connected to the outer side of the lower frame and slot and pin connected to the outer side of the upper frame, and a link pivotally connected to said elongated lever and to the side of said upper frame, said elongated lever and link being composed of flat stock with their faces movingin a vertical direction and parallel with the outer alined'sides of said frames and perpendicular to the faces of said crossed levers whereby r said crossed levers and said stabilizing device will cooperate with one another to stabilize the upper frame of said stationary bed section both against undue lateral play and against undue longitudinal play.

2. The combination with a stationary bed section having a lower frame and an upper frame, of legs formed on said lower frame for resisting movement, collapsible means connecting the upper frame to the lower frame of said stationary bed section, a movable bed section having a lower frame and an upper frame, two end walls and a side wall extending from the upper frame to the lower frame of said movable bed section to house and completely conceal said stationary bed section when collapsed, an angle iron constituting the outer side bar of the lower frame of said stationary bed section and having a horizontally and inwardly extending web, an angle bar constituting the outer side bar of the lower frame of said movable bed section and having a horizontally extending web extending inwardly from the side wall of said movable bed section, a flat bracket bar secured to said latter web and extending inwardly therefrom and having a downwardly extending flange, a pivot pin extending through said downwardly extending flange and extending perpendicularly to said side wall, a flat latch bar pivotally mounted on said pivot pin and positioned under the horizontal portion of said flat bracket bar, said latch bar having a long arm and a short arm, the long arm having an outwardly extending finger engaging flange adjacent the end of such long arm and the short arm having an inwardly extending flange inclined at its edge to form a cam initially to engage the outer side bar of the lower frame of said stationary bed section when said movable bed section is moved into single bed formation and the long arm due to its greater weight as compared to said short arm causing said' short arm to rise when clearing the outer bar of the lower frame of said stationary bed section and thereby anchoring the same against accidental outward movement of said movable bed section, the horizontally extending portion of said flat bracket bar forming a stop to limit the upward movement of said short arm, the flange at the end of said long arm being disposed adjacent to the lower edge of said side wall so that the operator may simultaneously press such flange upward and engage the lower edge of said side wall when initiating the outward movement of said movable bed section.

3. The combination with a stationary bed section, of a movable bed section having a side wall to cover one side of said stationary bed section when moved into single bed formation, an outer side bar of said stationary bed section having a horizontally and inwardly extending web, a side bar of said movable bed section having a horizontally extending web extending inwardly from the side wall of said movable bed section, a flat bracket bar secured to said latter web having a horizontal extending portion extending inwardly therefrom and having a downwardly extending flange, a pivot pin extending through said downwardly extending flange and extending perpendicularly to said side wall, a flat latch bar pivotally mounted on said pivot pin and positioned under the horizontal portion of said flat bracket bar, said latch bar having a long arm and a short arm, the long arm having an outwardly extending finger engaging flange adjacent the end of such long arm and the short arm having an inwardly extending flange inclined at its edge to form a cam initially to engage the outer side bar of said stationary bed section when said movable bed section is moved into single bed formation and the long arm due to its greater weight as compared to said short arm causing said short arm to rise when clearing the outer bar of said stationary bed section and thereby anchoring the same against accidental outward movement of said movable bed section, the horizontally extending portion of said flat bracket bar forming a stop to limit the upward movement of said short arm, the flange at the end of said long arm being disposed adjacent to the lower edge of said side wall so that the operator may simultaneously press such flange upward and engage the lower edge of said side wall when initiating the outward movement of said movable bed section.

4. The combination with a stationary bed section, of a movable bed section havin a side wall to cover one side of said stationary bed section when moved into single bed formation, said stationary bed section having an outer longitudinally extending side bar, a bracket having a horizontally extending portion extending inwardly from said side wall, and a latch bar pivotally mounted and positioned under the horizontal portion of said bracket, said latch bar having a long arm and a short arm, the short arm having a cam at its end initially to engage said outer side bar when said movable bed section is moved into single bed formation and the long arm due to its greater weight as compared to said short arm causing said short arm to rise when clearing said outer side bar and thereby anchoring the same against accidental outward movement of said movable bed section, the horizontally extending portion of said bracket forming a stop to limit the upward movement of said short arm, the end of said long arm being disposed adjacent to the lower edge of said side wall so that the operator may simultaneously press said end upward and engage the lower edge of said side wall when initiating the outward movement of said movable bed section.

5. The combination with a stationary bed section, of a movable bed section having an outer longitudinally extending side rail, said stationary bed section having an outer longitudinally extending side bar, a bracket having a horizontally extending portion extending inwardly from said side rail, and a latch bar pivotally mounted and positioned under the horizontal portion of said bracket. said latch bar having a long arm and a short arm, the short arm having a cam at its end initially to engage said outer side bar when said movable bed section is moved into single bed formation and the long arm due to its greater weight as compared to said short arm causing said short arm to rise when clearing said outer side bar and thereby anchoring the same against accidental outward movement of said movable bed section, the horizontally extending portion of said bracket forming a stop to limit the upward movement of said short arm.

JOSEPH MARTIN. 

